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The Saddle is a rather simple part, yet it is critical to the tone, playability and even the tuning of your guitar.
A saddle may need to be lowered if your action is too high. If it is too low, it can be shined, but we really prefer to make a new saddle in this case. You may also need material removed from your saddle if an under saddle pickup is installed. On the subject of pickups, under saddle pickups work best with the full downward force of the string tension. To achieve this, the saddle should have a loose fit in the bridge slot. If no pickup is installed, it is preferable to have a snug fit to improve the acoustic guitar's tone as well to avoid putting unnecessary tension on the bridge which may cause a crack to form.
Aside from adjusting the action, many players prefer the tone of Bone over plastic. In this case a custom bone saddle can be made. Another popular option is to add a compensated saddle, or compensate your existing saddle, The "B" string benefits most from compensation, though all strings can be compensated to some degree for improved intonation up and down the neck.


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There will be no negotiations on core social issues. The Libertarians are not merely a never was party. They are also a never will be party.
Unfortunately for the libertarians, unrestrained libido is no substitute for personal integrity, and it produces vastly inferior results.
No sale.
And this is why you are destined for oblivion.
Have a nice day.
Libertarians are a never will be party precisely because they are disinclined to force their views upon others.
The points you object to are the logical conclusions of conservative principles. They may be unpleasant but nobody is compelled to go there; personal integrity is a choice, not a punishable compulsion.
Leftists, on the other hand, make those objectionable vices their starting principles (not marginal side effects) and leap off the cliff from there.

subset: commoncrawl


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Yesterday evening, we had the pleasure to be invited to our friends' house, who live in a renovated barn that is nothing short of a Pottery Barn catalog inside! It was gorgeous!!
Nikkole had little pumpkins ready for the kids to decorate outside when we got there. (and there wasn't a single kid crazy enough to turn down paint and pumpkins!)
Evan was very meticulous about his colors...
Em & Bayley
Addy's Pumpkin!
Evan put his little arm around his Addy ♥
Paint! Paint! Paint!
The hubbys got jealous over us ooh-ing & ahh-ing at the little Evan arm hold, that they thought they'd give it a try...
Just wasn't as cute - but it was pretty funny! Especially after I threatened to put it on facebook... ;)
Here is Evan's completed pumpkin!
The girls showed us their new tire swing!
They could get it going pretty high!
Em gave it a try, while Bayley pulled her along!
Ross cooked up some yummy burgers and hot dogs to go with all the deelish food inside that Nikkole had made, and we ate a LOT!
Afterwards, we got to go for a hayride (minus the hay) around their land, which was SO fun, that Emma didn't ever want to stop, and we fed their catfish, who are trained to come to the dock when you stomp on a loose board by the water.
The squeals coming from Emma's mouth were loud enough to drown out the splasing from the pond of big catfish jumping.
It was a really fun evening.
Thank you for having us over, Montgomery Family!
We had a wonderful time!


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Marysville Dog Owners Group
About Us
Off-Leash Park
Off-Leash Park FAQs
Off-Leash Park Rules
Agility Course
Good Petiquette
Other Off-Leash Parks
Future Off-Leash Parks
2017 Poochapalooza
Directions to Park
M-DOG in the News
Off-Leash Park Frequently Asked Questions
Where is parking located?
Strawberry Fields for
offers parking for visitors with a gravel lot at the trailhead located on
NE east of the Strawberry Fields Athletic Complex. You can also use the main parking lot at the lighted soccer fields.
How do you get to the off-leash area?
The park, which is completely enclosed, offers one entrance located at the north end of the off-leash park and accessed by way of a signed, wood-chipped walking trail that starts at the southeast corner of the soccer fields.
What about trails?
Wooded trails line the park and are covered with wood chips to provide a stable walking surface. The wood chips prevent the build-up of mud during wet periods and create a safer trail experience. With the City's emphasis on health and fitness through the Marysville Healthy Communities Project, walking is encouraged because it adds to the health benefits of the park.
rom the parking lot to the off-leash area and back, you will walk 1,500 steps – that's ¾-mile round trip!
Must dogs be on leash on trails and elsewhere outside the off-leash park?
An emphatic
All dogs must be ON LEASH when entering or exiting the off-leash park as per Marysville Municipal Code (MMC) 10.04.300. It's pretty obvious - otherwise, why have a fenced-in off-leash park set in a trail system? Dogs are not permitted on the soccer fields at any time.
Does the dog park have a secure area just for small dogs?
Yes. In 2014, M-DOG installed a fenced small-dog area inside the larger fenced park, with two access gates. The small dog area is for dog 25 lbs. and under, as well as older and physically challenged dogs that don't want to mix with the larger dogs in the park.
How many people and pets visit the off-leash park in a given year?
Based on our estimates, 8,800 people visit the off-leash park and 12,320 dogs visited the park on weekends in 2014. Add weekdays during the spring and summer with 3,375 people and 4,590 dogs, and that brings totals to more than 12,000 visitors and about 17,000 wagging tails.
Picnic Tables and Benches
The off-leash area offers 3 picnic tables, two inside the park and one just outside the gate. Picnic tables have been provided by
and Recreation; M-DOG is looking into providing benches and chairs to enable guests to sit and relax, and visit with other park users. A new bench was donated by Roy Robinson Chevrolet-Subaru-RV in 2014; expect more seating in the future. Food in the park is permitted, but picnickers are asked to considerate of other people and their pets, as food can sometimes trigger aggressive behavior between dogs.
Drinking water access?
A three-tier people/dogs drinking fountain provides the only water source in the off-leash park. The drinking fountain was donated by HomeStreet Bank in Marysville when the off-leash park opened in December 2008. Adequate water pressure at this time does not allow for a station to hose down dogs that play in the mud, or a second drinking water source at the south end of the park, as some park visitors have pined for. Please do not use local streams to rinse or clean off your dog; these streams are sensitive fish and salmon-bearing streams.
Where are public restrooms located?
Public restrooms are available at the entrance to Strawberry Fields Athletic Complex. There are no restrooms in or near the off-leash park itself.
Get Directions
The Official Home Page of the Marysville Dog Owners Group (M-DOG). Best viewed with Internet Explorer 7.0 or higher.
Some of the links on this site lead to other resources, and are provided as a service to visitors to this web site. The presence
of these links should not nenecesarily be interpreted as an endorsement by M-DOG of these sites or their content.
Copyright © 2018 Marysville Dog Owners Group.
M-DOG is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization * Federal Tax #26-2151575
Marysville Dog Owners Group


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About ProForm
ProForm® is the brand of choice for people seeking a serious, high performance workout.
Leading the way in performance and innovation, it is the world's number 1 fitness brand. Not only is ProForm known for introducing the latest technologies, it is the world leader in home treadmill drive systems, cushioning, interactive training and elliptical technology.
Thanks to cutting-edge advances in cushioning, electronics and reliability, our treadmills have become the overwhelming choice of fitness enthusiasts throughout the world.
In recent years, ProForm has unveiled a complete line of exercise bikes, elliptical machines, weight benches and more - all geared to provide the most effective workout available.
From our first SpaceSaver™ treadmill to our latest high-tech fitness machines, ProForm remains on the cutting-edge of innovative fitness equipment.
Whatever your fitness goals are, ProForm can help you get there.
ProForm is a brand of ICON Health & Fitness
Founded in 1977, ICON Health & Fitness is the largest developer, manufacturer and marketer of home fitness equipment in the world. ICON own some of the most recognised brands in the industry: NordicTrack®, Freemotion Fitness®, Weider® & Weslo® to name but a few.
ICON's 'first in fitness' mission has resulted in state-of-the-art equipment for more then three decades, including recent advances such as iFit Live powered by GoogleMaps™. This provides consumers with a complete interactive fitness solution which allows them to achieve better results faster.


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Nomophobia, funt, ninja loans among jargon that capture modern lifeOctober 2nd, 2008 - 4:44 pm ICT by ANI
London, October 2 (ANI): Business jargon like stagflation, ninja loans, and funt have made it to a list of 100 new words and phrases which capture modern life.
Stagflation is term used to signify stagnant growth and rising inflation, while funt means the financially untouchable.
The term Ninja loans comes from the abbreviation of No Income, No Job, No Assets.
Dictionary expert Susie Dent has revealed that words like jingle mail, which means sending back the keys to the mortgage company when the occupants can no longer make payments on their house, have also made it to the list.
Her Words of the Year book also includes phrases that describe various other aspects of modern life.
One such word is nomophobia, which means the fear of being out of mobile phone contact.
She has also included in the book the term nonebrity, used for a person who enjoys status without anyone really understanding why.
Social networking, meaning using websites like Facebook, is another word included in her book.
The book further states that the term boytox is used to describe cosmetic surgery for men, while momnesia is used for "a pattern of mental confusion and forgetfulness that characterises a mother''s first year after giving birth."
"Some are new words which have come into use and others are established terms which have been resurrected," the Telegraph quoted Dent as saying.
The list even include the term a YouTube divorce, which is an acrimonious marriage break-up where a spouse airs their former partner''s dirty laundry on the video-sharing website.
Dent said that the new words gave the English language more power.
"You may hate momnesia and nomophobia but few of us could deny that when we first heard them, we weren"t just that little bit curious," she said. (ANI)
Tags: abbreviation, business jargon, cosmetic surgery, dictionary, dirty laundry, facebook, forgetfulness, funt, giving birth, inflation, mail, mental confusion, mortgage company, ninja, occupants, phrases, social networking, stagflation, susie dent, year book


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Combine one 11.5-ounce can thawed frozen purple grape juice concentrate, 1/2 cup water and 1 teaspoon vanilla in a medium skillet; cook over medium-high heat until syrupy, about 10 minutes. Stir in 1 more teaspoon vanilla; let cool. Add seltzer.
For each drink, combine 2 to 4 tablespoons flavored syrup with 1 cup cold seltzer in an ice-filled glass.
Photograph by Charles Masters
Courtesy of Food Network Magazine
Check Out Our
Get a sneak-peek of the new Food Network recipe page and give us your feedback.See it Now!


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Status: Open
Know more about this business than we do? Cool! Please submit any corrections or missing details you may have.Help us make it right
Goodyear Auto Service Centers are full-service tire and automotive repair stores wholly owned and operated by the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company. Since 1924, Goodyear Auto Service has provided excellence in tire and automotive service to American drivers.
Be the first NOLA.com user to add photos or videos of Goodyear Auto Service Center


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one: Clean Eating // two: me after week 2, day 2 of The Betty Rocker 30 Day Challenge // three: gummy vitamins // four: yoga // five: green smoothie
Today's Friday Favorites are all about one of my new year's resolutions: health. Some would say I'm taking it to a whole new level. For me, I think I finally have the time, energy, focus, and determination to give it all I've got.
one: Mr. P and I are focusing on our eating habits. Only eating out when it's a special occasion. Mr. P. does 100% of the cooking and I am 100000 percent grateful. It was his idea to try this clean eating and last Friday I had non-clean food, ie procesed food after 15 days of not eating it and I could totally tell the next morning. I was lethargic and I felt like I had a hangover. That lesson taught me that food prep and quality of food are key to feeling even better than I ever could. Especially with my arthritis. I need to give it whatever chance I can.
two: some of you might of seen this message on Wednesday night. It's me after week 2, day 2 of The Betty Rocker Bodyweight 30 Day Challenge (mouthful!). It was also the night before my infusion. I pushed through it. I did handstands and lasted 30 seconds, took a 5 second break and popped back up. I haven't done a handstand since I was 7. I also did one arm planks and held them for 20 seconds per arm for 80 seconds total. My shoulders are tired, my wrists a little sore, but I DID IT!! I never thought it was possible, but it is!
three: Vitamins. Seems to be a major, hot topic. At least in my family it is. Take them? Not to take them? That's always the question. Well, I found out from my Rheumatologist that I should take them only if I feel like they are helping. If I'm getting the nutrition from food, then stop taking them, or find that balance. I'm honestly hoping to get off of them, especially since I'm doing the clean eating thing, but I'm not quite there. Especially Vitamin D. I lacked it in Colorado; I'm definitely lacking it here. About 60 days or so, I switched to gummy vitamins. I LOVE GUMMY VITAMINS! Yes, I feel like I'm cheating and having candy, HOWEVER, I hate pills. I hate swallowing them. I used to take the kids chewable Tylenol until I was 14. UGH. I hate pills. Gummies, I love. I take a Multi-Vitamin, CoQ10, and Vitamin D3 in gummy form. I take my B12 and other prescribed medicine in pill form.
four: Yoga. Man have I missed it, but I've been practicing right after my Bodyweight Challenge and definitely noticed a different. I'm not as sore the next morning. I can actually get out of bed instead of roll out. AND I MEAN ROLL OUT!! So, where do I do Yoga? In my home. Thanks to DoYogaWithMe.com and their free site with thousands of videos to choose from, with different levels and target areas to choose from, I have found great pleasure. The videos are beautiful and I love the ones where they are on the beach stretching out in the sun. It gives me hope that summer is right around the corner. PS – no endorsement here, just pure love of sharing this fabulous knowledge.
five: If you've been around for a while, you know how obsessed I am with my daily green smoothie. However, I found one that I really can't get enough of. It's called Chunky Monkey!! Here's the recipe: 2 cups of spinach, 2 cups of unsweetened almond milk, 2 bananas, 1 pear, 2 tablespoons of almond butter, 2 tablespoons of cacao. I personally add in 1 scoop of my vanilla RAW Protein Powder and sometimes a tablespoon of organic maple syrup. I absolutely love that Mr. P made homemade almond butter. By the way, if you're adding in protein powder into your smoothie, be sure to mix your liquid and the powder first until fully smooth, then add in greens, then everything else. I haven't had a problem yet with this method but please keep in mind that you will definitely taste the protein powder – there isn't a way to get around this. Oh, and some people think I'm crazy to drink a smoothie in the middle of winter, however, I'm not adding in any frozen items. This made all the difference and now I can enjoy my smoothie in these frigid temps.
What are your health goals for 2014? How are you doing with them? Let me know below or contact me via social media…anyone will do. 🙂


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Procure a lista de oportunidades abaixo e clique em qualquer de interesse para mais informações. Alternativamente, você pode usar a opção 'Pesquisar'.
Procurar Resultados
Se você não encontrar exatamente o que você está procurando, por favor entre em contato conosco assim mesmo, e diga-nos o que você gostaria de fazer.
Peru, Piura
Integral Children´s programme as part of a church plant Obra integral con niños y niñas como parte de plantar una nueva iglesia Kinderprogramm im Rahmen einer Gemeindegründung
Care and Social Action
Bolivia, Trinidad
Work in Trinidad, a small town in the Bolivian jungle in a medical project. Puedes trabajar en Trinidad, un pueblo en la selva de Bolivia, en un proyecto medico. Du kannst in Trinidad, einer kleinen Stadt im bolivianischen Dschungel, in einem medizinischen Projekt mithelfen.
Education and Training
Guatemala, Guatemala City
Teach in SETECA - teachers in Missions/ Intercultural studies, Hermeneutics and Old Testament are particularly needed. Enseñar en SETECA - Buscan específicamente Profesores en Misiones /Estudios Interculturales, Hermenéutica, y Antiguo Testamento.
Education and Training
Mexico, Puebla
Work as an english teacher in Rodane College in Puebla. Trabajar como maestro/a de ingles en el colegio Rodane en Puebla.
Church development
Guatemala, Zaragoza
Work alongside the 'New Creation' church plant in Zaragoza, disciplining young people and new believers. Trabajar con la iglesia Nueva Creación en Zaragoza, en discipulado de los jovenes y creyentes nuevos.
Colombia, Bogota
The project works with some of the main universities in Bogota with groups of students running discipleship programmes. They run bible studies, retreats and training for students and young professionals. You would be involved in the planning and delivery of the discipleship groups plus any university outreach events.
Care and Social Action
Colombia, Bogota
This project works in an urban area in the central part of Bogota where there is a lot of social problems related to drug use, social deprivation, prostitution and abuse within the family. It is a small project run by a Chritian lady who moved to the community and converted the ground floor of her house into a community centre, however she works with about 50-60 children and young people giving them lunch each day providing a Christian youth club and holistic activities to help keep the children off the streets and in a safe and learning environment. They also work with groups of the mums who often suffer domestic violence. You would be involved in any and all of the daily activities ranging from helping serve the lunch to reading with the children. This would also include Christian education and praying with the children.
Education and Training
Colombia, Bogota
This school is specifically designed for deaf children and the education is geared towards helping them learn and engage with wider society. The school is part of a wider Christian project to serve deaf people and their families. This project also includes a Bible translation project into Colombian sign language and a social work project to support the families of the students, teach them sign language and help them understand how to bring up a deaf child healthily. There are many opportunities to engage with this project, from teaching in the school (including traditional school subjects and also Christian Education) to supporting the work with the families. There is also a deaf church that meets in the school on Sundays.


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Health Care Reform Handed , How Do You Really feel?
Slashing their greenhouse fuel emissions, Boston space hospitals exceed metropolis-extensive energy goals a number of years early. Nobody can afford health care and thats the issue. Until you reduce the greed and discover ways to make the remedial portion unexspensive it is going to never matter who pays. One broken bone costs extra then what you place into the system for 10 years in some cases. A simple visit is a whole lot of dollars and a few medicine has gone up a number of a thousand occasions. Until you try to management cost there will likely be no solution to the issue.
The WAG director indicated that health establishments were charging between US$25 and US$30 for maternity charges. Put your arms to work to help your thoughts unwind. Engaging in actions comparable to knitting, stitching, and crocheting can assist relieve stress and do your ticker some good. Other stress-free hobbies, resembling woodworking, cooking, or completing jigsaw puzzles, might also help take the edge off tense days.
To test my sources, or to check more, your native or university library can be very useful to you. All of my sources were discovered through educational research databases – such as Lexis Nexis and Ebsco-Host – that my library subscribes to. Chef Marshall 'Brien discusses how one can work with schools, families, workplaces, and the community to increase the intake of healthy meals.
On March 27, two hours have been allocated to the most publicized situation, whether Congress exceeded its constitutional authority in requiring individuals to purchase insurance coverage or pay a penalty. Yoga is a form of train – perhaps much gentler and kinder than weightlifting and aerobics. Most undoubtedly drier than swim health but nonetheless, yoga is a good exercise program.
In politico-economic language, the primary stage would correspond to … Read More ...


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When your BAC is over 0.08%, your driving ability is impaired and you will be placed under arrest. Harsh punishments have been established for DUI due to the serious potential for injury or fatal accidents. With your freedom at stake, it is vital to seek an experienced Orlando DUI defense attorney immediately. Our DUI defense specialists can protect your rights and ensure you receive aggressive defense against DUI consequences.
In Florida, a conviction for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, can result in jail or prison time, probation, along with random blood and urine tests, heavy fines, DUI school, including a 12-22 week treatment program, victim awareness classes, loss of driving privileges, vehicle impoundment, ignition interlock installation in your car, community service and a mark on your criminal record.
After your arrest, you will be given a citation that allows you driving privileges for 10 days. Your citation or ticket, serves as both a charging document and a temporary driver's license. You must keep it with you at all times when operating a motor vehicle.
By contacting us within this 10-day period, we can help you through the criminal DUI process:
The procedure can be quite confusing without reliable legal counsel. You deserve the attention and guidance of criminal trial attorneys who know what it takes to build your case and present evidence for a successful outcome.
Contact an Orlando DUI lawyer from Ali & Blankner today.


text: Suns in Dyson Spheres never set - at least, not in the conventional way. I think the intro is just a play on the title '' game' of thrones '' which in. Why is Winter Coming (Game of Thrones) - Deep Sky Videos .. If an advanced civilization were to build a. Is the mysterious ' Dyson Sphere ' alien megastructure actually just a star . This could involve a Dyson sphere, a swarm of satellites that surrounds a star. .. talks Ramsey Bolton's gruesome death scene on Game Of Thrones.


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ADP Australia/New Zealand
ADP's partnership with Workforce Guardian provides ADP clients with local employment relations expertise via the Workplace Advice Line. Delivered as a value-added service to all ADP clients, the Workplace Advice Line provides immediate assistance with employment issues and the day-to-day challenges of running a business under Australian employment law.
The team of employment relations experts from Workforce Guardian will take calls and respond to enquiries across the whole spectrum of employment relations challenges, including help with:
- The Fair Work Commission, and its companion
organisation, the Fair Work Ombudsman
- Understanding modern awards - interpretation and coverage
- The 10 National Employment Standards (NES)
- New leave entitlements such as Paid Parental Leave and your responsibilities for administering the scheme
- Step-by-step advice on the processes for hiring, managing and dismissing employees
- The rules relating to the negotiation of Enterprise Agreements
- Implementing robust workplace policies
Register for ADP Demo
Register for an ADP Product Tour
Free Webinars
Register for our free webinars to discover new ways of improving workplace relations in your business.
Check out the features! Subscribers gain access to a wide range of HR tools and resources at a fraction of the cost of developing and keeping everything up to date and compliant themselves.


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CNET First Look
Samsung Captivate GlideBridget Carey takes an early look at the Captivate Glide, a 4G Android smartphone with a slide-out keyboard.
Hi, I'm Bridget Carey with CNET TV and we are here with a really early look at the new Samsung Captivate Glide. It has Android Gingerbread and a duo core 1 gigahertz processor. It has a slide-out keyboard. Now on the back, you're gonna find an 8-megapixel camera and if you're looking for some and that's good for work. They built some enterprise functionality into this phone. The keyboard keys are pretty sleek and flat and it's not too fat considering it's a slide-out keyboard. You have your volume buttons on the side, a power button here and on the back you have a nice texture along with the flash with the 8-megapixel camera. Right now, we don't know the price or availability other than that's gonna be out before the end of 2011. I told you it's really early first look. For CNET TV, I'm Bridget Carey.


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|3d Screaming Retro Blond Woman in Green
|3d Woman Carrying Shopping Bags
|3d Secretary Woman Working on a Computer at a Desk
|Blond Pinup Girl in a Swimsuit by a Life Buoy
|Retro Black and White Couple Fighting over Money
|Retro Black and White Lady Smiling and Chatting on a Phone
|Retro Black and White Married Couple Gazing at a House
|Retro Black Haired White Woman Driving a Red Convertible Car
|Woman Waving from a Taxi Cab
|Retro Lady in a Green Suit, Holding a Bunch of Credit Cards
|Black Haired Woman Talking on a Cell Phone and Riding a Green Scooter
|Black and White Screaming Bride of Frankenstein
|Vintage Valentine Painting of Two Ladies Strolling Through a Garden and Talking About a Man in the Background
|Romantic Painting of a Deceased Man with Text Reading "In Memory Dear, My Valentine" Circa 1910
|Vintage Painting of a Man Holding a Flower and Looking over a Patio Wall, Admiring a Young Lady, Bordered by Golden Flowers, Circa 18th Century
|Dancing Flapper Woman Enjoying Herself in a White and Blue Dress, Floral Hat and Heels, Moving on the Dance Floor with Her Necklace Flying Around Her Neck
|Sexy Blond Woman Wearing a Blue Bikini and Relaxing on a Beach in the Summer
|Woman in a Black Cat Costume Lying in a Giant Martini Glass at a Cocktail Lounge
|Sexy Blond Woman in Fishing Gear, Holding up Her Bra on a Fishing Hook
|Sexy Topless Brunette Woman in a Red Thong, Stockings and Heels, Looking Back over Her Shoulder and Holding a Wrench While Sitting on a Motorcycle and Checkered Racing Flags in the Background
|Attractive Long Haired Brunette Woman in a Black and White Polka Dot Bikini, Looking Back over Her Shoulder
|Sexy Topless Brunette Woman in Red Underwear, Stockings and Heels, Looking Back over Her Shoulder and Holding a Wrench While Sitting on a Motorcycle
|Sexy Blond Bombshell Woman Wearing a Short, Tight Orange Dress Looking Back and Smoking a Cigarette
|Attractive Brunette Woman in a Denim Bikini, Waving Her Top and Standing Topless
|Attractive Blond Woman in a Short Halter Top and Short Mini Skirt, Wearing Cowboy Boots and Holding up Her Hat While Riding a Pistil, Surrounded by Barbed Wire
|Attractive Blond Woman in Fishing Gear, Holding up Her Bra in a Hook
|Attractive Blond Woman with Tall Hair, Wearing Pearls and a Red Dress and Talking on a Rotary Dial Landline Telephone
|Pale, Black Haired Vampire Woman with Blood Dripping off of Her Fanges and onto Her Chin, Showing the Bite Marks on Her Neck While Two Bats Fly Above
|Housewife Woman Vacuuming with a Canister Vacuum with Text Reading "House Cleaning!" Borderd by Red Checkers Clipart Illustration
|Happy Redhaired Woman in a White Apron, Ironing Clothes on a Vintage Jenny's Happy Maids Advertisement
|Man and Woman Grinning at Each Other While on a Blind Date
|Woman and Man with Beer, Beer, Helping People Get Lucky for over 300 Years Poster
|Attractive Blond Woman Wearing a Small Red and White Polka Dot Halter Top and Daisy Duke Blue Jean Shorts, Hitchhiking for a Ride
|Smiling Brunette Woman with a Blue Flower in Her Hair
|Old Fashioned Red Haired Housewife or Maid Woman in a Long Red Dress and Heels, Using a Canister Vacuum to Clean the Floors
|Red Headed Housewife or Maid Woman in a Long Red Dress and High Heels Using a Mop to Clean the Floors
|Attractive Surprised Brunette White Woman Covering Her Mouth and Holdnig a Pink Telephone
|Pretty Woman with Dirty Blond Hair, Lying on Her Back and Kicking Her Legs up While Playing with a Helmet on Her Feet
|Pretty Showgirl in Red and Black Feathers, Holding out Her Arm in Front of a Red Oval
|Woman in a Cat Costume Resting in a Giant Martini Glass at a Cocktail Lounge
|Happy Red Haired White Woman in an Apron, Her Hair up in a Scarf, Singing and Dancing with a Spoon on a Red and Black Vintage Sign for Mom's Roadkill Diner
|Pretty Blond Caucasian Woman with Short Hair Taking Long Strides and Carrying Shopping Bags Clipart Illustration
|Attractive Brunette Woman in a Black and White Polka Dot Bikini and High Heels, Holding a Wrench and Looking Back While Standing in Front of a Piston
|Pretty Smiling Cowgirl with a Mole, Wearing a Hat and Standing Between Hands of Playing Cards on a Red Banner
|Cute Black Haired Female Witch in a Pointy Hat, Long Black Dress and Fishnet Stockings, Sitting Cross Legged on a Broomstick While Flying Through the Night Sky
|Attractive Pinup Woman Modeling in a Red High Heel and Devil Costume, Holding Her Tail and Sporting a Rose Tattoo on Her Butt
|Sign of a Silhouetted Cowboy Square Dancing with a Woman
|Attractive Brunette Woman in a Rubber Dress and Boots, Lying on Her Back and Holding onto Her Curved Forked Devil Tail
|Attractive Blond Bombshell Beautician Woman Wearing a Tight Orange Dress and Tall Orange Boots and Holding a Pair of Scissors and Blow Dryer at a Salon
|Pretty Woman in a Tight Red Dress, Gloves and Tall Boots and Forked Devil Tail, Dancing While Drinking at a Party
Looking for something else? Check back tomorrow, new Retro designs are now being added everyday!


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Official Photographer at the UDO World Championships, Blackpool
Both myself and the hubby are official photographers for the Universal Street Dance Organisation World Street Dance Championship. It's a huge event that takes place each year in sunny Blackpool. It's one heck of a crazy vibe with hundreds of budding street dancers rehearsing and competing all under the roof of the winter gardens. At the event I got the opportunity to photograph and meet Diversity, Tobias Mead, Olly Murs, Akai, Spell Bound, Twist and Pulse, to name but a few!
The event was faced paced photographing the leading street artists from the UK and overseas, even Street Dance 3D were scouting for talent! It's very likely that we will see a few of these acts competing for next year's Britain's got talent and Got to Dance!!
Nicola Selby Dance Photography News - Aug 29, 2010 | Blackpool, Live Performance Dance Photography, Street Dance
Tagged | Dance Photography, Dance Photography Blackpool, Dance Photography Lancashire, Street Dance Photography, UDO World Championship Dance Photography


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Naturade intros Sam's Club exclusive adult nutrition shake
ORANGE, Calif. — Naturade on Wednesday announced the mass-market introduction of HealthSmart, a doctor-formulated daily protein shake mix that will serve as a comprehensive source of nutrition for active adults.
Endorsed by baseball hall of famer George Brett, HealthSmart contains 18 g of whey, soy, pea and rice protein isolates, and is fortified with omega 3s and antioxidants for heart health, probiotics and fiber for healthy digestion, and 24 vitamins and minerals.
In an exclusive distribution arrangement, HealthSmart initially will be available for purchase at select Sam's Club locations across 25 states.
Walgreens rolls out two new videos touting Web pickup service
CHICAGO — Walgreens on Tuesday and Wednesday posted two new 30-second spots touting its pharmacies' Web pickup capabilities.
In the first spot, titled "The Pickup," a man is sent on a mission by his wife to pick up a product most men would find embarrassing to bring to the checkout counter. (To view the commercial, click here.)
"Web Pickup makes life even easier. Just shop your local store online and we'll have your order ready to pick up in as little as an hour! Bagged and ready to go," the company wrote in the copy supporting the YouTube video. "And it is perfect for those instances where you might be too embarrassed to shop the aisles for those unmentionables or to send your significant other to the store to pick up just the right items."
The second commercial, "Walgreens Web Pickup — Quick and Simple," stresses the convenience a Walgreens Web Pickup can afford a mom who can multitask shopping and taking care of her children. For that video, click here.
Rite Aid Foundation donates $50,000 to American Red Cross' Hurricane Irene relief efforts
CAMP HILL, Pa. — Rite Aid's philanthropic arm is donating $50,000 to Hurricane Irene relief efforts, Rite Aid said Wednesday.
The retail pharmacy chain said the Rite Aid Foundation was making the donation to the American Red Cross, in addition to donations of baby formula, personal hygiene products, first aid and cleaning supplies to several nonprofit organizations in New York and Vermont — areas that were particularly affected by the hurricane.
"One of Rite Aid's core values is to be a caring neighbor in the communities we serve, and that's especially true in times like these as communities start to rebuild," Rite Aid Foundation president and Rite Aid chairman Mary Sammons said. "We are proud to partner with the American Red Cross and hope our donation makes things a little easier for those who have been most affected by Hurricane Irene."


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Usually, at year's end, we run "Readers' Roundups," a feature where our readers recommend good books they've enjoyed this year. However, due to the inclement health I weathered this recent December and January, I hadn't the energy to edit such a column. The offer will go out soon, however. Today's column returns us to the favorite topic of this column: the books we love reading and our reasons for reading them.
First, I must say I am gradually feeling better and I want to thank everyone who has written, called, or grabbed my lapels to wish me well. I confess the hugs were my favorite. Now, on to what led to my favorite book in a long time.
The lead-in: My surgery (described in five Local articles through December and January) was on Dec. 19, and I spent the holidays that followed recovering. Strangely, I remember those first few weeks with great nostalgia. Yes, I was uncomfortable, sometimes in pain, but I enjoyed very much the fact that I'd been given permission to put my life on hold and relax. For an all-too-short time I spent most of each day in my favorite recliner with a book in hand and a TV remote control beside me. I had taped all the football playoff games and watched them at odd times like a Tuesday morning at 11. I also had Netflix and Amazon video available. And a constant supply of boxed deluxe chocolates, justified by my post-surgical weight loss. Most pleasantly, I began reading a book I had been wanting to read for ages – believe it or not: a biography of the jazz singer Peggy Lee.
Why, you might ask? I'll tell you. Did you ever see a movie called "After Hours," (1985) directed by Martin Scorsese? The main character, a young businessman, is abducted and goes through a night of sheer wonder, torture, amazement and craziness before being dropped off on a city street the following morning. The credits come up right after and a song plays, a song I never heard before. I didn't know its name, but it haunted me then, as it does now, because of a repeated refrain: Is that all there is? Some time later, I Googled that line and found it was from a song of the same name. It was popularized by Peggy Lee, or, as she preferred, Miss Peggy Lee. A young girl is rescued from a house fire and stands on the sidewalk watching her house burn down and after it's all over, she asks, Is that all, there is to a fire? (Which struck me as a weird thing to say.) At 12 she is taken to a circus, and afterward sings, Is that all there is to a circus? Later she falls in love. The boy leaves. Is that all there is to a love? Someday, she says, she'll stand before St. Peter's Pearly Gates and look back and wonder, Is that all there is … to a life? I still can't say why, but that song chilled and thrilled and bothered me.
Years went by. I never heard it again, but still wondered. I Have no iPod, don't play music at home or in the car. But last summer I kept my son, Andrew, company as he browsed in a used-records/CDs store in Montreal (called Beatnik Records on Rue St. Denis) and came across a small batch of Peggy Lee CDs. I felt compelled to buy them. All through early fall I played them repeatedly. Captivated. Why? Did my body know I had cancer then? Was I subconsciously gathering the spiritual survival tools I'd need for the coming bodily crisis?
Then came my diagnosis in November and my surgery in December. And a few days later: one of the most wonderful Christmas gifts I've ever been given. My wife, Janet, borrowed from the Free Library of Philadelphia and wrapped for me, "Is That All There Is? The Strange Life of Peggy Lee," (2014) by James Gavin. At last, I might learn the story behind that strange, teasing song. Thank goodness, the book was long (624 pages) and heavy (only a print version will do for when I'm on a personal reading quest). I read as much as I could every day.
The risk of reading a biography: You always devour the thing you love. The very act of reading each page, each chapter, each section, brought me closer to Miss Lee's death at the end. But I read compulsively on. What an amazing story – a girl named Norma Deloris Egstrom, from Jamestown, North Dakota, rises from nowhere to play the greatest nightclubs in the world as a mysterious chanteuse. Her history paralleled the history of the rise of the recording industry, the nightclub era, and a magical kind of stardom. Best of all, the origins of every one of her hit records is described in detail.
And what a surprise to find out who wrote "Is that All there Is?" None other than Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller, the team that wrote "Hound Dog," and other hits such as "Kansas City," "Stand by Me," "Spanish Harlem," and "King Creole. "They didn't write it for Peggy Lee, but the instant she heard a version of it she insisted it had to be hers. Soon it was. It became one of her signature songs (along with "Fever"). But I remain amazed that her personal power and commitment to that song was able to fashion a song some call creepy, or depressing and make it into an enduring, enchanting, and strange anthem for those who find it mystifying. I finished that book with reverence and great regret and two empty boxes of chocolates.
Count your gifts. Convalescence gave me the time-out to add something beautiful and enchanting to my life. It also revived my long-dropped habit of listening to music. Lucky me.


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Sony has now made it public that their latest gaming system the "PS4" or "Playstation 4" will hit Target, Walmart, Toys R Us and other retailers on November 15th in North America and launch November 29th overseas in Europe just in time for the holiday season. Gamers across the world have been anticipating the release of Sony's latest game system and now we are only a few months away. The Sony Playstation 4 will retail at $399.
© 2013, Eldorado2452. All rights reserved.


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Reception of the Rites of Initiation constitutes membership in the Church. The Rites of Initiation are Baptism, Communion, and Confirmation. All three sacraments are given at birth. The Catechumens, those professing a formal desire to enter the Church, are considered specially bound to the Church and receive her protection, guidance, and prayers.
In the United States, there are approximately 472,000 Eastern Rite Catholics.
The Catholic Church is composed of Western Rite Churches (most notably, the Roman Catholic Church, rooted in Rome) and Eastern Rite Churches, which is derived from one of five other ancient Christian traditions. These traditions (Constantinopolitan) are the Byzantine, Alexandrian, Antiochene, Armenian, and Chaldean (East Syrian) Rites. The Roman Catholic Church is also referred to as the Latin Rite or Roman Rite Church.
There are approximately twenty-two autonomous Eastern Rite Churches, originating from the five Eastern traditions, which are in union with the Roman Catholic Church meaning that they recognize the authority of the pope. There are other autonomous churches from the five Eastern traditions which are not in union with Rome, often referred to as Orthodox Christian churches. The Orthodox Churches are to Eastern Rite Catholics what Protestants are to Western Rite Catholics.
The Christian faith which originated in Jerusalem spread to Alexandria, Antioch, Constantinople, and Rome. Each of these churches expressed one faith, but maintained different liturgies, laws, and theological expressions. Most of the Eastern Churches at one time separated from Rome. One separation was called the Great Schism of 1054. A partial reunification occurred in subsequent years forming the Eastern Rite Churches of today.
In the United States, the following Eastern Catholic Rites are found: Antiochene Rite (Maronites), Byzantine Rite (Ukrainians, Ruthenians, Greek Melkites, Romanians, and Belarussians), and the Armenian Rite. Members of other rites fall under the local Roman Catholic bishop. Another Eastern Catholic Rite is the Syro-Malabar Rite from India.
In addition to Eastern Catholic Rites, there are several Western Catholic Rites as well. They are the Ambrosian (Mirian), Mozarabic (Toledo), Lyonnais, and Braga. Members of these rites follow the Latin or Roman Rite when they are away from the area in which they practice.
Icons are of great significance for the Eastern Rite Catholic. The purpose of icons is to create reverence in worship and the icons serve as an existential link between the worshiper and God. Icons have been called prayers, hymns, and sermons in form and color. They are the visual Gospel. As St. Basil said, "What the word transmits through the ear, the painting silently shows through the image, and by these two means, mutually accompanying one another...we receive knowledge of one and the same thing."
The icon is a link between the human and divine. It provides a space for the mystical encounter between the person before it and God. It becomes a place for an appearance of Christ, the Theotokos, or the Saints provided one stands before the icon with the right disposition of heart and mind. It creates a place of prayer. An icon participates in the event it depicts and is almost a recreation of the event existentially for the believer.
The icon offers an external human expression of the holy transfigured state, of a body filled with the Holy Spirit. By omitting everything irrelevant to the spiritual figure, the figure becomes stylized, spiritualized, not unrealistic but supra-realistic. The icon figure is thereby set aside from all other forms of art. As S. Bulgakov said, "By the blessing of the icon of Christ, a mystical meeting of the faithful and Christ is made possible."
Byzantine iconography, for example, refers to the distinct tradition and style embodied in Orthodox religious images painted during the Byzantine Empire which lasted from the 5th century to the fall of its capital, Constantinople, in the year 1453.
See the Introduction to Roman Catholicism for an explanation of other theological points.


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10th Anniversary Regulators' Keynote Address
by Dato' Seri Ranjit Ajit Singh
Chairman of Securities Commission Malaysia
at the London Sukuk Summit in United Kingdom
on 25 May 2016
|Your Excellencies, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen.
|Good morning. It is a great pleasure for me to be here this morning, and I would like to thank the organisers for extending an invitation for me to speak here at the London Sukuk Summit.
|Before I begin, Your Excellency Lady Morris, allow me to congratulate you on the summarily excellent speech. London's ambition to become a hub for sukuk origination is very much welcomed, and it is remarkable to note the extent to which Islamic finance has already shaped this city's modern-day skyline, from the athletes' village for the 2012 Olympics to The Shard, and not to forget Malaysia's investment in the redevelopment of the Battersea power station.
|Having a city at the heart of global finance such as London plant a stake in the ground and declare its aspiration to become a centre for Islamic finance is not only an important milestone for the industry, but also a testament to the efforts of those who have endeavoured to develop and promote this sector over the last few decades.
|Such collective efforts by various jurisdictions and organisations have been instrumental in driving growth in the Islamic financial sector, with recent estimates pegging the global total of shariah-compliant financial assets in the region of $2.5 trillion, with $2.1 trillion of assets domiciled in the Organisation of Islamic Conference countries and the remainder accounted for by early-mover non-OIC jurisdictions such as the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, South Africa and Luxembourg.1 This year, we expect to see more maiden sovereign sukuk issuances from countries such as Jordan and Kazakhstan, which follow in the footsteps of jurisdictions such as the Ivory Coast and Oman who made their debut issuances last year in 2015.
|The increasingly diverse profile of sukuk issuers attests to growing international recognition of the value proposition of Islamic finance, both within and outside of the Muslim world. However, to focus solely on size and numbers would be to do Islamic finance an injustice, for its strength lies not only in its growth potential but also its fundamental character, as well as the socially desirable outcomes towards which it may be deployed.
|The London Sukuk Summit in particular has been an important platform in highlighting these aspects of Islamic finance, and I would like to congratulate its convenors on the 10th anniversary of this Summit. By bringing together a diverse spectrum of stakeholders, ranging from policymakers, regulators, industry players, investors and the media, the Summit provides a valuable opportunity for all of us to discuss not only the prospects and practicalities of Islamic finance in great detail, but also broader issues which are shaping the global conversation on markets, economies and society at large.
|These conversations are vital because our vision on the way forward for Islamic finance will only be complete through an appreciation of the socioeconomic context in which the financial system operates. This perspective is critical, as the priorities of the financial system must rightfully be guided by the needs and priorities of the real economy – not the other way around – to enable these two complementary aspects of the global economic order to remain harmonious and mutually reinforcing.
|Ladies and gentlemen
Reopening the financing spigot
|It is unfortunate that we needed a global financial crisis to remind us of this fundamental truth. The post-2008 years starkly illustrate the perils of a global economic ecosystem that – to quote Oscar Wilde – "knows the price of everything and the value of nothing." A world which prizes short-term maximisation at the individual level over long-term optimisation at the aggregate level is not a world that produces sustainable outcomes for the present as well as the future generation, and the symptoms are clearly manifested in the widening chasms of inequality in our society: a society where 62 individuals collectively own the same amount of wealth as the poorest 50% of the planet, and the average annual income of the poorest 10% has risen by less than $3 a year over the last 25 years – equivalent to an increase in daily income of less than a single cent a year.2
|Resolving these issues requires something more far-reaching and transformative than what the world is already doing. While the emergency response measures introduced during the crisis have been largely successful in stemming the bleeding, they must be rightfully recognised as short-term stabilisation measures designed to offer immediate relief and must be unwound in an orderly manner once their objectives have been achieved.
|At the same time, international standard-setting bodies remain committed towards efforts to strengthen the global financial regulatory architecture while promoting greater cross-border coordination and cooperation. Earlier this month, for example, I was in Peru to attend the Annual Conference of the International Organisation of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) – of which I am the Board Vice-Chair – and I am pleased to note that significant progress has been made on various policy fronts including enhancing oversight on the asset management industry, central counterparties, as well as wholesale market conduct.
|Nevertheless, it remains difficult to reconcile the relative buoyancy of today's financial markets with lingering fragilities in global economic recovery, which has yet to regain its post-crisis momentum. The missing link, I believe, is financing. The world economy is at present akin to a dam awash with liquidity on the supply side and starved of financing on the demand side. Hence, for global economic recovery to be catalysed and sustained, it is essential for pathways to be rebuilt between the real economy and the financial system, to enable financing to flow into areas where it is most needed.
|However, at the global level, traditional sources of financing are currently faced with several constraints, with banks having to adopt a more conservative lending appetite in line with more stringent prudential requirements, and sovereign balance sheet pressures restricting the ability of governments to stimulate growth through large-scale fiscal stimuli. A corollary of the narrowing of traditional financing channels is therefore greater reliance on capital market-based financing, and securities regulators worldwide – including Securities Commission Malaysia – have correspondingly sought to ensure that a sufficiently broad suite of market-based financing instruments are available to fulfil these needs.
|Ladies and gentlemen
Meeting "new generation" financing needs through Islamic capital market instruments
|Ensuring ample and uninterrupted flow of market-based financing is particularly crucial for emerging market economies, many of which stand at a critical juncture in their long-term growth trajectory. As an upper-middle income economy seeking to achieve high-income status by the end of this decade, Malaysia is acutely aware of the need to cultivate sustainable and indigenous sources of growth, even as global macroeconomic factors such as the prolonged downturn in commodity prices continue to underscore the impetus for further economic diversification.
|As the authority responsible for capital market regulation and development in Malaysia, the Securities Commission has taken the approach of first, identifying specific areas with the most acute financing needs, and subsequently tailoring our developmental strategy in a manner which accords priority to their fulfilment. Through this process, we have identified infrastructure, small businesses and sustainable and responsible investments (SRI) as the three critical areas for which viable market-based financing solutions need to be developed. Underpinning our approach is a commitment towards enabling sustainable and inclusive growth in the real economy – which closely dovetails with the fundamental premise of Islamic finance, as it strongly emphasises the notion of equity, fairness and long-term stewardship, making shariah-based capital market instruments an appropriate solution to our needs.
|For Malaysia as well as the Asia Pacific region, one of the most critical sources of demand for financing comes from infrastructure development, driven by factors such as population growth and rapid urbanisation. The Asian Development Bank, for example, estimated that Asia needs to invest $8 trillion in national infrastructure over the decade between 2010 and 2020, with a separate study by McKinsey estimating that most economies – other than China and Japan – have historically underinvested in infrastructure and would therefore need to raise their investment levels just to maintain infrastructure stock at approximately 70% of GDP.
|To mitigate risks traditionally associated with borrowings to finance infrastructure development such as currency and maturity mismatch risks, it is vital for an economy to be able to draw on a sufficiently broad and deep domestic capital market as a source of long-term financing. As Chair of the ASEAN Capital Markets Forum (ACMF), the grouping of securities regulators in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Malaysia has been working closely with our counterparts to build greater connectivity among our domestic capital markets, to gain scale and intra-regional mobilisation of financial capital into meeting ASEAN's infrastructure financing needs, which would promote long-term regional development and reduce reliance on external financing.
|The asset-backed nature of sukuk makes it an ideal instrument for infrastructure project financing – a prospect recognised by the G20 – with significant scope to leverage on Malaysia's well-established framework for corporate and sovereign sukuk issuances, which in recent years has seen retail sukuk issued to finance the construction of the Mass Rapid Transit network in the Greater Kuala Lumpur urban area. Moving forward, further opportunities arise for issuers to tap into Asia's deep pool of savings through structures such as renminbi sukuk, particularly within the context of China's proposed Belt and Road Initiative.
|At the other end of the spectrum, sustainable and inclusive economic growth is also predicated upon the development of a vibrant small and medium enterprises (SMEs) sector, including innovative ventures that form part of the emerging "digital economy", which account for approximately 90% of businesses and 50% of employment globally – making them a vital source of employment, growth and competition.3 However, at the global level SMEs have traditionally suffered from relatively poor access to credit, with the SME credit financing gap in emerging markets estimated to range between $900 billion to $1.1 trillion.
|Hence, while the capital market is typically associated with large issuers and sovereigns, Securities Commission Malaysia believes that it is crucial for the spectrum of market-based financing channels to be broadened and made accessible to SMEs as a complement for existing sources of financing such as loans and grants, to facilitate growth of existing firms and catalyse further business formation in a traditionally underserved segment of the economy. As a result, over the last two years, the SC has progressively introduced regulatory frameworks which allow businesses to obtain financing through equity crowdfunding and peer-to-peer financing, which were announced in February 2015 and April 2016 respectively.
|A key feature of both frameworks is the imposition of certain requirements on the operator of the crowdfunding or P2P financing facility, including fit and proper requirements on its Board, CEO and primarily responsible personnel as well as rules on reporting and disclosure, to ensure that the interest of investors are accorded due protection.
|Where an Islamic capital market product is offered, on or through the platform, the operator must appoint a Shariah advisor who must be a person or corporation registered with SC, a licensed Islamic bank, or a licensed bank or investment bank approved to carry out an Islamic banking business. The role and responsibilities of the Shariah adviser are provided for in the framework, including advising on compliance with Shariah principles relating to the offering of the Islamic capital market product as well as providing expertise and guidance on other matters such as documentation, structuring and compliance with applicable laws and guidelines. Today, 5 out of the 6 licensed equity crowdfunding platforms are in operation, with the SC still in the process of processing applications from prospective operators of the P2P financing platform.
|The third critical source of demand for market-based financing are sustainable and responsible investments (SRI), also known as impact investing, which encompass a wide range of initiatives which aim to deliver healthy returns from a financial and social impact perspective. Global interest in SRI has grown in recent years, in line with heightened awareness on the value of non-financial metrics vis-à-vis corporate performance. There are tremendous synergies between the principles of SRI and Islamic finance, both of which are supportive of ethical and sustainable capitalism, that it is clear that Islamic capital market products are optimally placed as the financing instrument of choice for this sector.
|It was for this reason that the SC introduced the SRI sukuk framework in August 2014, which are aligned with all existing rules for sukuk – including the ability to issue to institutional and retail investors – and appended with an additional layer of SRI-related requirements to facilitate the issuance process. Areas addressed in these additional requirements include the utilisation of proceeds, reporting and disclosure requirements, as well as the criteria for eligible projects, which fall under the categories of natural resources, renewable energy and energy efficiency, community and economic development, as well as waqaf properties and assets. Tax incentives are also provided for issuers of SRI sukuk until 2020 to promote the development of this segment.
|In June 2015, Khazanah Nasional Bhd via a special purpose vehicle launched Malaysia's first SRI sukuk programme worth RM1 billion, which was placed out to a diverse group of investors including foundations, corporations, banks, pension funds and asset management companies. The inaugural proceeds of this sukuk was earmarked for the Yayasan AMIR Trust Schools programme, which aims to improve the accessibility of quality education in Malaysian government schools through a public-private partnership with the Ministry of Education.
|Clear SRI-related key outcomes were identified at the outset, based on a voluntary `step-down yield' mechanism which assesses the social impact of the trust schools programme using pre-determined key performance indicators measured over a 5-year period. Upon maturity, if a pre-determined set of KPIs are met, sukukholders will forego a pre-agreed percentage of the nominal amount due to them as part of their social obligation in recognising the positive social impact generated by the programme. On the other hand, if the KPIs are not met, the sukukholders will be entitled to the nominal amount due under the sukuk as agreed at issuance.
|At the international level, the SRI sukuk concept has also gained traction with the World Bank Treasury assisting the International Finance Facility for Immunisation in issuing what has been referred to as the Vaccine Sukuk to finance its child immunisation programme – an issuance that has received a very encouraging response from the market and bodes well for the SRI sukuk segment at large.
|At the same time, Islamic finance can also play a role in plugging the shortfall of funds available to meet urgent and critical humanitarian financing needs. At the inaugural World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul, which just concluded yesterday, it was pointed out that 90% of ongoing humanitarian crises are occurring in OIC member states, with 31 out of 33 active conflicts today taking place in Muslim-majority countries. Despite the growing need for aid, with the number of people in need doubling since 2004 to over 100 million presently, the shortfall in funding continues to widen, with the United Nations estimating a $15 billion annual funding gap due to non-delivery of funds from those who had initially pledged to contribute.
|To examine the issue in greater detail and identify appropriate recommendations, the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon had appointed a High-Level Taskforce for Humanitarian Financing, which is co-chaired by His Royal Highness Sultan Nazrin Shah of Perak, the Royal Patron of Malaysia's Islamic Finance Initiative, and Kristalina Georgieva, the European Commissioner for the Budget and Human Resources. It is worth noting that among the key recommendations of the Panel is Islamic social finance as a mechanism through which latent capital in the Muslim world in the form of waqaf assets and zakat contributions may be channelled through instruments such as sukuk into meeting these large and presently unmet humanitarian financing needs.
|Ladies and gentlemen
|I hope that my sharing of the Malaysian experience in developing the so-called "new generation" financing channels in alignment with Islamic financial principles as well as our motivations in designing our developmental strategy will help in some way to trigger more conversations among us on how innovations in the Islamic capital market may be further encouraged. Ultimately, I believe that there is no one-size-fits-all solution, and greater engagement among industry practitioners, Shariah experts and regulators are essential in developing jurisdiction-specific solutions that are contextualised to the needs of the real economy.
1 Islamic assets push towards $2.5 trillion https://www.islamicfinance.com/2016/04/islamic-assets-push-towards-2-5-trillion-sukuk-issuances-jump-21/
2 An Economy for the 1% Oxfam (2016)
3 International Finance Corporation (IFC)


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Alpha Takahashi, Voice Actress for Hisako, is confirmed for KI World Cup!
First of all, if you are not familiar with the Killer Instinct World Cup, read this post to learn about it.
Since the World Cup launched last year, it has been quick to evolve into an equivalent of the Capcom Pro Tour. Unlike the CPT, however, players that qualify for the World Cup will be able to enjoy competition for not just Killer Instinct (which is indeed the main attraction), but for a selection of games such as Street Fighter V, Super Smash Bros. Wii-U, and so on.
Players can also meet up with the team responsible for making KI what it is today. James Goddard from Microsoft and Adam "Keits" Heart from Iron Galaxy have already been confirmed as guests for the World Cup, and now, we have confirmation for yet another guest…
Happy to announce @AlphaTakahashi "The Voice Actor for #Hisako" is coming to @KIWorldCup / @KICon2017! Get tickets @ https://t.co/ss7b3O1SlI pic.twitter.com/4Bxi6IY24Q
— UA|Brandon Alexander (@XboxViking) February 16, 2017
That's right, the voice actress for Hisako, Alpha Takahashi, is coming to the KI World Cup! Never has there been a better time to be a Hisako player, because what better way to relate to your character than to meet the actor/actress who gave them life?
As a throwback to Hisako's introduction into the franchise, check out this awesome trailer.
Will we see the actors for the rest of the KI cast at the World Cup? Stay tuned…
Follow this blog and the posts below to stay informed on all things about Killer Instinct.
Killer Instinct Twitter – https://twitter.com/KillerInstinct
Official Killer Instinct Forums – https://www.ultra-combo.com/
KI World Cup Twitter – https://twitter.com/KIWorldCup


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England's Euro 2016 exit can be motivation for future, says manager Sam Allardyce
New England manager Sam Allardyce told his players to use their shock Euro 2016 exit at thefootball Updated: Jul 24, 2016 21:04 IST
New England manager Sam Allardyce told his players to use their shock Euro 2016 exit at the hands of Iceland as motivation for the future on Saturday.
The 61-year-old was named on Friday as the successor to Roy Hodgson, who resigned after his team bowed out of the Euros in France with a 2-1 defeat to Iceland in the last 16.
Allardyce, who dramatically kept Sunderland in the Premier League last season, wants a young England team to stay positive despite the recent disappointments.
"It's a very bitter experience as we all know but that inner drive... Players should keep that, they should hold it and use it as a positive, say 'we don't want to experience that again'," he said in an interview with FATV.
"I think first and foremost it's about regaining, perhaps, a bit of confidence they have lost after the Euros.
"Let's get started from day one. Let's put that to bed, let's start delivering, gain from the experience that you gained at the Euros.
"We are going to get into the qualifiers, try to qualify for the World Cup and when we go next time we're better prepared, I think mentally, to succeed."
Allardyce, who was overlooked for the England job when Steve McClaren was appointed for his ill-fated spell as manager in 2006, brings a wealth of experience having managed five different Premier League clubs.
But his task is a difficult one as England remain without a major trophy since their World Cup triumph 50 years ago, and without a semi-final appearance since hosting Euro 96.
He also used his first interview as manager to give a rallying call to the English supporters.
"There's nothing wrong with England fans, they have supported the team through thick and thin and there's nothing wrong with the support they give," he said.
"Fans will get behind you if you're hitting that level. If you're showing that passion and commitment but ultimately that quality, that team spirit they recognise they will get behind it and support you.
"We all have to face criticism at this level; the level of criticism sometimes is far greater at international level because it's just a short time together, but also praise is also far greater as well.
"We have to accept both for what it is."
Allardyce's two-year deal includes the task of trying to bring a clear identity to the junior sides as well as the first team.
"Man-management, I think," he said when asked what he would bring to the job.
"(And) creating a backroom staff that delivers a great service in all areas and departments. You have to manage that, not just manage players but manage staff, to delegate to them and give confidence to produce the qualities they have which are actually better qualities than me."
Allardyce, who has never won a major trophy in his 22-year managerial career, will see his players in action for the first time in a friendly at Wembley on September 1 against an as yet unnamed opponent.
England kick off their qualifying campaign for the 2018 World Cup in Russia with a trip to Slovakia on September 4.
First Published: Jul 24, 2016 21:04 IST


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text: REMINGTON No. 4 ROLLING BLOCK .22 S/L/LR... KJOBENHAVNS DANISH REMINGTON 1867 ROLLIN... Remington and Sons, 1858 Revolving Rifle... Military Issue Remington Rolling Block .... Remington Rolling Block Sporting No. 1 4... Guns Rifles Remington Rifles Pre REMINGTON HEPBURN SPORT TARGET Falling Block . x SHARPS | 531 | 45 | Lc | 187.5432ms View Category REMINGTON HEPBURN SPORT/TARGET Falling Block .4-x1-7/8" SHARPS For Sale from Elk Castle Shooting Sports | Positive feedback: 98% View | Verified Seller | 1337 Completed Sales View Sellers Items /UserImages/5212/984664804 3375155.jpg /UserImages/5212/984664804 3375156.jpg /UserImages/5212/984664804 3375157.jpg /UserImages/5212/984664804 3375158.jpg /UserImages/5212/984664804 3375159.jpg /UserImages/5212/984664804 3375161.jpg /UserImages/5212/984664804 3375162.jpg /UserImages/5212/984664804 3375164.jpg /UserImages/5212/984664804 3375165.jpg /UserImages/5212/984664804 3375166.jpg /UserImages/5212/984664804 3375167.jpg /UserImages/5212/984664804 3375168.jpg /UserImages/5212/984664804 3375169.jpg Description: For sale I have a Remington Hepburn Sport/Target rifle in .40X1-7/8" Sharps. This rifle features a 28" half-octagon, half-round barrel, (missing rear sight), case-colored receiver, walnut stock and forend with metal forend tip and crescent buttplate. Please contact us with any questions, or for purchase options. We do not charge additional fees for credit cards. Read More Condition: Used, Minor Wear Caliber: .40 (other) Location: TX Trades Accepted: No Read More Due to the additional costs of internet sales, shipping, etc., our internet pricing may vary from our In-Store price. In the case of multiple buyers for one item, customers will be given 24 hours to complete a transaction, after which firearms will be made available to the next buyer. RETURN POLICY: Elk Castle Shooting Sports will accept returns on firearms that arrive other than advertised in the listing. Returns MUST be left with the transferring dealer. If a customer takes possession of the firearm, Elk Castle considers this acceptance of the condition, and will not offer a return. Firearms returned for any reason other than damage or undisclosed conditions will be subject to a 10% restocking fee. TX residents add 8.25% sales tax. Shipping Notes: See Description Read More Share Item Item #: 984664804 Elk Castle Shooting Sports Seller Since: Jan. 2005 Seller Level: Trusted Seller This seller is an FFL City: Fort Worth State: TX Price: SOLD (Price reflects 1% cash discount.) This Seller Accepts Online Payment Shipping: $40.00 (or FREE in-store pick up!) Accepted Payment Methods: Returns: 3 Days Your Recently Viewed Items


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Our Tampa Thrill Seeker Experiences make for truly unique gifts they're sure to remember forever.
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Create a memory. Give the gift of experience!
Take the guesswork out of gift-giving and let your friend or loved one choose their own adventure with this Tampa Thrill Seeker collection!
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Find out what it feels like to man the controls of a real fighter jet during this Fly like a Fighter Pilot experience near Tampa!
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Experience nature's incredible light show as you paddle through the glowing waters of the Indian River Lagoon during this Bioluminescent Paddle Adventure!
Soar high above the crystal clear waters of Florida and experience the thrill of flying when you Learn to Fly near Tampa!
Fly high above Tampa and discover the excitement of learning to fly in style in the luxurious Cirrus SR22!
Have you ever wanted to try your hand at the controls of a Robinson R-22? Now is the time when you Learn to Fly a Helicopter near Tampa!
Fly high above the bayou and enjoy unbeatable views of Tampa Bay during this Zipline Canopy Adventure at the Mobbly Bayou Wilderness Preserve!
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Experience a romantic Tampa Bay sunset helicopter tour and watch the sun set from a whole new perspective.
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Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be a cloud? Well, now you can find out firsthand with an exciting hot air balloon ride.
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Feel the rush of freedom as you freefall through the air at speeds over 100 MPH during this Tandem Skydiving experience!
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Enjoy one of the most romantic experiences available, a private hot air balloon ride over the serene Orlando countryside.
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Learn to stay atop a bucking bull and the ins and outs of the rodeo industry with a 3-day bull riding lesson near Tampa.
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There is no place sports heroes cast a longer shadow than in Boston, where Red Sox immortal Ted Williams has inspired City Hall to come up with its own batting average.
The average on Thursday for Mayor Martin J. Walsh and his lieutenants was 1.36. That's probably confusing even to diehards, since the best Williams ever hit was .406 back in 1941, a mark that hasn't been surpassed since. But by the city's unique calculations, batting a thousand or just above means that targets -- a pothole filled within one business day, for example -- are being met.
Plenty of cities have what amount to dashboards of data that show how quickly streetlights are fixed or the number of public-school kids attending class. Only in the hometown of the Red Sox is a single number generated to show how well Walsh and his starters are serving Boston's 656,000 residents. While the city has collected data for years, the batting average is two months old.
It's drawing praise for its boldness as well as some head-scratching about whether one number properly assesses the myriad duties on which cities are judged. "They're really jumping into the deep end," said Neil Kleiman, a professor at New York University's Wagner Graduate School of Public Service. "No other city has anything like it."
Greatest Hitter
This is how it works: Department heads gather data on 21 quality-of-life components, from crime to road repair to visitors to the library. Those metrics are folded together to produce the daily tally, as well as a weekly, monthly and quarterly score. All the numbers are posted on City Score, a website that mimics Fenway Park's imposing left-field wall, aka, the Green Monster.
Dan Koh, Walsh's chief of staff, gave a TED Talk last year entitled, "What Government Can Learn from Baseball." Koh led off with -- what else? -- how the late Williams, who some consider the greatest hitter in baseball history, was the impetus for a single performance number for the sprockets and gears of municipal bureaucracy.
Walsh, elected in 2013 to succeed the late Thomas M. Menino, calls himself and Koh the odd couple of urban America, a streetwise mayor who hired a techno-geek to help build the data-driven city of the future. The Harvard-educated Koh became enamored in college with statistics as used by former Oakland Athletics General Manager Billy Beane, whose implausible success relied on data to find a roster of unheralded yet talented players. His story was chronicled in "Moneyball," the 2003 Michael Lewis book, and later a feature film.
Seeing Red
Boston residents who spot graffiti and or missed trash pickups are encouraged to message the city, or call the 311 non-emergency hotline. Complainants who send photos of problems may receive, in return, photos of the problems fixed. Many who report issues are surveyed twice, in making the complaint and receiving the result, on how well they were treated along the way.
Walsh meets regularly with his performance managers as well as department heads to talk about the results. At a session two weeks ago, the batting average was 1.11, meaning targets were being met at a slightly better-than-expected rate. The meeting began on an upbeat note with Chris Dwelley, the citywide performance manager, reporting that the prompt repair of streetlights had improved 28 percent in February compared to January. The average for "STREETLIGHT ON-TIME %" as seen on the scoreboard that day was .99.
Walsh nodded his approval, but as he scanned the scoreboard on a screen on his office wall, he saw something he didn't like: red. White numbers are at or above targets, the red are below. For example, ambulance-response times had been in the red for a while. Walsh dug into the reasons why and concluded that Boston had grown while its ambulance fleet had not. Proving the scoreboard is no mere gimmick, Walsh decided, within just a few weeks of spotting the offending color, to include 10 more ambulances in his next budget proposal.
What bothered him most were the constituent satisfaction surveys, red across the board. "There's a disconnect somewhere," he said, vowing to root it out.
Mayors in other cities have looked into making dashboards public before rejecting the idea, according to NYU's Kleiman. What they typically fear, he said, is that airing bad numbers would bring unwanted attention to their problems. Koh gets it. His boss initially had the same reaction. But in the end, the rationale that the city needed to be run like a business won out. "We deliver services and we have customers," the mayor said. And besides, "we have a lot of good numbers" to show off too.
Like the day after the meeting, when the average came in at 1.26. That was, for those keeping score at home, up .15 from 1.11 the previous day.
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A gastronomic cycle tour in the Loire Valley Ref. : L10
- from 1080 € / person on the minimum basis of 2 pers.
Circuit :
- Difficulty :
- Duration : 6 days | 4 days riding
Departure :
from March 2018 to November 2019
on Monday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday
- Book this trip Ask for an online quotation
- some questions about this trip ?
- See FAQS
- 33 (0)2 54 78 62 52
- Contact us
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Discover the chateaux and many flavours of this region: we invite you to savour and appreciate our regional Gastronomy, in our finest and traditional restaurants, a successful blend of local ingredients and ancestral culinary heritage.
A must for all gourmets.
Your gastronomic bike tour in the Loire Valley:
Day 1: Arrival in Blois
Discover the charming town of Blois, as you stroll along its paved streets punctuated with staircases, and the château, a perfect illustration of how French architecture evolved between the Middle Ages and the 17th century.
Accommodation in a 3-star hotel in Blois town center. Dinner at your leisure.
Dinner in the prestigious former Orangery of the château de Blois which became an elegant and renowned restaurant. The restaurant offers a beautiful view over the château (one Michelin star).
Day 2: Blois – Amboise | 39 km
Follow the 'pays des châteaux' cycling tracks through nice tiny villages to the château of Chaumont-sur-Loire, which proudly dominates the river. Then continue on the 'Loire à Vélo' cycling tracks before arriving at the charming town of Amboise with its royal château, where the greatest kings of France lived.
Accommodation in a charming 4-star château-hotel located in the countryside near Amboise.
Dinner at the restaurant of the château (one Michelin star), a beautiful intimate dining room walled with 16th century tapestries as well as the coat of arms of the previous owners, visible on the beams, all discretely lighted by stained glass windows.
Day 3: Amboise – Chenonceaux | 41 km
This stage through the vineyards of Montlouis-sur-Loire will take you to the Cher valley and Chenonceaux, famous for its Renaissance château elegantly straddling the Cher river.
Accommodation in a former coaching inn renovated into a 4-star charming inn just a stone's throw from the Château of Chenonceau.
Dinner at the restaurant (one Michelin star). The chef favours genuine traditional French cuisine that has been updated. Top quality season products and produce from the Inn's vegetable garden contribute to the authenticity of the preparations and aromas.
Day 4: Chenonceaux – Chitenay | 40 km
Ride along the peaceful Cher river banks to the medieval town of Montrichard. Then leave the Cher Valley and enter the vineyards of Touraine via the Château du Gué Péan and the Château de Fougères-sur-Bièvre, a small fortified castle which perfectly illustrates the local building arts of the 15th century, before ending the day in a charming rural inn.
Accommodation in a 3-star rural inn located in the heart of the château country and which offers a warm welcome and a family atmosphere.
Dinner in the nice dining room or in the beautiful garden to taste and enjoy a creative and passionate cuisine prepared with fresh local products.
Day 5: Chitenay – Blois | 50 km
A richly coloured route via the Château de Cheverny, remarkable for its sumptuously furnished apartments, leading on to the prestigious Château de Chambord, a true masterpiece of the French Renaissance boasting no less than 440 rooms, built during the reign of Francis I in the heart of a well-preserved natural site.
Accommodation in a 3-star hotel in Blois town center.
Option: Possibility to plan the dinner in a gastronomic restaurant.
Day 6: Departure
The little extra with Biking France : you can book our "Châteaux Package", with entrance fees to
● château de Blois
● Domaine de Chaumont-sur-Loire (château + Garden Festival)
● château de Chenonceaux
● château de Cheverny + "The Secrets of Marlinspike Hall" exhibition
(see "option")
From March 1st 2018 to November 30th 2019 1 080,00 € Single room supplement : 380,00 € Bike discount : - 50,00 € (If you bring your own bike) 'Solo' Supplement : +70,00 € (Supplement to consider in case of solo traveler per booking)
- 5 nights' accommodation in 4-star and 3-star hotels (accommodation in a two-person bedroom)
- 4 gastronomic dinners (drinks not included)
- 5 'buffet' or 'continental' breakfasts
- 1 travel folder (itineraries in French or English / colour maps)
- Tourist brochures
- Luggage transfer during the day
- Equipped cycle rental for 4 days with helmet
- Hotline 7 days a week
- 1 dinner / Lunches / Drinks
- Tickets to attractions, tours of attractions, tasting
- Optional insurances (Cancellation Insurance OR Tranquility Insurance)
- Single room supplement (5 nights included)
> Your rental bike:
VTC GITANE « Silence » bike - 21 speed gears
Equipped with : 2 rear panniers (saddlebags), 1 map holder, 1 repair kit, 1 pump, 1 lock + 1 counter.
Helmet and reflective vest included.
> You can rent an electric assistance bike!
GIANT « Esprit » or « Elégance » bike - 7 speed gears
Equipped with : 2 rear panniers (saddlebags), 1 map holder, 1 repair kit, 1 pump, 1 lock + 1 counter.
Helmet and reflective vest included.
See the FAQ for more information on the rental bikes.
How to arrive in BLOIS :
From A10 highway > Exit n° 17 « Blois ». Then follow direction « Blois Centre Ville ».
From Paris : Austerlitz train station > Blois train station.
Possibility of taxi transfer to the hotel from Blois train station: about €4 / €6.
. From Roissy CDG airport : Roissy Charles de Gaulle T.2 train station > St Pierre des Corps train station > Blois train station.
. From Orly airport or Beauvais airport: taxi or shuttle transfer : Austerlitz train station > Blois train station
. From Tours airport: taxi or shuttle transfer : Tours train station > Blois train station
. From Nantes airport: taxi or shuttle transfer : Nantes train station > Blois train station
Volodymyr B. (Russe) - Juillet 2018
"Exceptionally well-organized tour. Although the tour is self-guided, Rando Velo provided such clear and detailed instructions and made all arrangements for every step of the tour that we never felt at a loss. Excellent hotels, excellent restaurants (except for Le 36 in Amboise, which is surprising in light of its Michelin rating---but this is not Rando Velo's responsibility---perhaps this restaurant had a bad day when we visited), and excellent comfortable touring bikes. Recommend purchasing the Chateau package with the tour, because it saves time standing in queues."
Maxwell W. (USA) - Aout 2017
"This was a very well organised tour. There were no hiccups and all the hotels were excellent with good food. We would recommend the tour to others most strongly."
George S. (UK) - July 2017
""We had a wonderful time touring the Loire by bicycle. Friendly welcome everywhere we went, superb food and a great adventure.""
Patrick D. (France) - Septembre 2016
"Nous recommandons vivement ce voyage avec Rando Vélo. Les parcours et séjours dans les hôtels sont agréables et les repas des restaurants étoilés dignes de la très bonne cuisine française. Nous avons apprécié les visites de châteaux de la Loire, grands et petits, tout aussi intéressants les uns que les autres. Le petit plus .....le vélo électrique pour ceux qui sont moins à l'aise. Belle organisation. Parcours bien balisé et loin de la circulation. Formidable !"
Roland C. (Belgique) - Juin 2015
"Nous avons vécu un circuit très intéressant au niveau des curiosités. L'organisation de Randovélo était parfaite. La distance parcourue par jour varie entre 40 et 55 km, ce qui est idéal pour une journée. A refaire. "


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Carcassonne (New Edition)
In Carcassonne, players build the area surrounding this impressive city, one tile at a time. They then place a follower/meeple on fields, cities, roads or monasteries in order to score as many points as possible. These followers will become knights, monks, farmers and thieves, depending on where they are placed. No matter their function, the player who will most cleverly use their followers will win the game.
During a game of Carcassonne, players are faced with decisions like: "Is it really worth putting my last meeple there?" or "Should I use this tile to expand my city, or should I place it near my opponent instead, giving him a hard time to complete his project and score points?" Since players place only one tile and have the option to place one meeple on it, turns proceed quickly even if it is a game full of options and possibilities.
Entirely redesigned and modernized, this edition includes two expansions: The River and the Abbot.
Expand your game further with:
Expansion 1: Inns & Cathedrals
Expansion 2: Traders & Builders
Expansion 3: The Princess & the Dragon
Expansion 4: The Tower
Expansion 5: Abbey and Mayor
Expansion 6: Count, King & Robber
Expansion 7: The Catapult
Expansion 8: Bridges, Castles & Bazaars
Expansion 9: Hills & Sheep
See also:
Carcassonne: Gold Rush
Designed by: Klaus-Jürgen Wrede
Published by: Z Man Games
Genres: Light Strategy
Ages: 8 and up
Players: 2 to 5
Playing Time: 45 minutes
Year: 2000


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In spring 2017 I took a couple of walks in the wide open spaces of eastern Queens, one on Union Turnpike going generally west skirting Glen Oaks, Hollis Hills and Hillcrest (the subject of today's installment) and the other generally west on Hillside Avenue into Bellaire, Queens Village and Hollis, the site of a future […]
Tag Archives: Glen Oaks
WIDE OPEN SPACES in eastern QueensMay 21, 2017
Categorized in: Walks Tagged with: Glen Oaks Hollis Hills Queens
JACOB ADRIENCE FARMHOUSE, Glen OaksMay 3, 2016
The Queens County Farm Museum, at Little Neck Parkway south of 73rd Road, occupies 47 acres in the heart of Glen Oaks, Queens, New York as the Agricultural Museum of New York: its croplands and orchards are being used to demonstrate the history of agriculture to students and visitors. The Museum staff and volunteers harvest apples […]
BELIEVE IT! NY's craziest lamppostsJanuary 5, 2005
IT'S ALWAYS FUN when it's time to do a lamppost page in Forgotten NY, because these vaguely anthropomorphic untility poles are what got me started with this Forgotten NY stuff decades ago. My parents used to take me for bus rides all over Brooklyn, and I could never be seen without a pencil, a spoon, […]


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|Arugula, walnuts, blue cheese, pears, caramelized onions and mushrooms...
oh my indeed.
While putting cheese on flat-bread is maybe the least creative thing in the world - this little number made an excellent dinner and lunch-the-next-day. There is something almost classic about pear, bleu cheese and mushrooms. I tried desperately to make this sort-of healthy, as I spent the week before at Osheaga consisting mainly on budweiser and the foggiest memories of poutine. Yes, it was amazing, thank you for asking. You should have been there. Really. I can't imagine anyone, anywhere in the world was having a better time.
That said, a week of hardcore Montreal is not always the healthiest thing - especially when your poor, prairie soul is so starved for it that you're desperate to absorb every little bit you can. Following this implosion of awesome, my body quite literally demanded vegetables. Poor body. Have some green-y bits.
My man-candy's body somehow demanded pizza, but (shockingly) (no really - SHOCKINGLY) I could not commit to THAT much cheese. I know. I've grown weak in my old age. But I merrily made a pseud-pizza which was fancy enough to impress my KFC visiting work colleagues the next day, and also give my body the little bit of green it so desperately craved. As well as being a good 2 meals, this could also double as a lovely appetizer between 6-8, or a 1 person TLC marathon-not-quite-ready-to-commit-to-full-pizza-nonpizza. Got a hot date who loves arugula? VICTORY! Alone and want to pretend you're at a mid-range fancy restaurant? TREAT YO SELF.
Without further ado:
1 sheet of puff pastry, rolled flat or 1 sheet of pizza dough, the recipe for which I will eventually get around to posting.
2 cups diced cremini mushrooms
1 small onion, sliced
1 tsp of fennel seeds OR 1 bulb of fennel if you live in a non-fascist city which stocks fennel bulbs.
At least 1 cup of arugula
3 tbsp of olive oil
1 pear
1/3-1/2 cup bleuuuu frommage
salt and pepper
a splash of balsamic for caramelizing
pinch of garlic powder
some lemon zest (optional)
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tbsp balsamic
squirt of lemon juice + mustard + maple syrup/honey/whatever
other things you will need:
pastry brush / you can get away without it
frying pan
stirrin' spoon
- Preheat your oven to 400.
- In your frying pan, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add your onion with a sprinkle of salt and cook for 2-3 minutes until it's all wilty, see-thru and tasty. Adding your salt to your onion now causes it to sweat (gross!) which actually caramelizes it faster (yum!). Add your fennel seeds and cook for another minute or two and then add a splash of balsamic.
- Allow to cook down for a minute or so and then add your mushrooooms. Fun fact: the less mushrooms you have in your pan, the better they'll cook. Sometimes I cook them in two batches because mushrooms, like me, don't like to be crowded.
- While your little mushroomies cook, brush your pastry/dough with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic salt and lemon zest.
- Top your pastry with mushrooms and blue cheese, a little salt and a whole lotta pepper, and bake for about 10 minutes or until golden-y brown.
- Remove from onion and allow to cook for 10 minutes or so. THIS IS REALLY HARD. DO NOT EAT IT. Make your dressing to distract yourself. Slice your pear. Don't do it before hand or it will get gross and brown. Bleh!
- Is it 10 minutes later yet? GOOD. Top your flat bread with arugula and pear. Drizzle with dressing.
- Chow down my pet, chow down.


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by Erik Ritland
As I typed the title to this I shook my head. I'm in disbelief. A tribute to David Bowie? What? No. This doesn't make any sense.
Even after typing that, and seeing all the tributes, and exchanging stories with all my other friends that David Bowie meant so much to, I still don't believe it.
How can it be true?
I don't mean to be dramatic. I'm also not the type to mourn for people I didn't know face-to-face.
But Bowie is different. His creativity, and what he created, is at the foundation of so many emotional places in my life, is even at the foundation of why I create anything at all, be it music, writing, or whatever else. I've bonded in significant ways with so many of my friends over him and his music. I find it hard to think of any other musician that means as much to those I know as David Bowie.
Bowie was an innovator, a truly creative mind that never stopped moving forward. He means so much to so many people because his music exploded boundaries. His singular songwriting was accessible and always well-crafted, even at his most experimental.
Partially for therapy, and partially to explain why his music means so much to me, I feel the need to say a few words about it.
He began as a rhythm and blues artist, and even his first single "Liza Jane" has a passion that foreshadowed all the changes he went through in his career (pardon the pun). I spent far too many hours as a kid poring over his earliest material, and I still think that his self-titled debut album is vastly underrated. It is fun, unpredictable baroque '60s pop. For a primer, check out "The London Boys" and "Karma Man," two of my favorite Bowie songs.
After these initial experiments he exploded, both artistically and in popularity. He followed the Dylan influenced Space Oddity with his first truly original album, the beautifully murky proto-metal of The Man Who Sold the World. The erratic, breathtaking guitar work of Mick Ronson, along with swirling layers of synths, were ahead of its time, surpassing even Sabbath and Zeppelin in power and immediacy. Album opening suite "The Width of a Circle" is one of Bowie's darkest, most creative, most sexually charged songs. "All the Madmen" follows, a powerful psychological exploration of insanity with a fittingly intense backing of heavy guitars and otherworldly synths. Although Nirvana's unplugged take is definitive – something Bowie even admitted – his original version of the title track is one of his most out there songs, the lyrics coming alive on top of layers of keyboards, percussion, and multi-tracked vocals.
As he often did, Bowie followed up the heavy Man Who Sold The World with something completely different. Hunky Dory is one of the best songwriting albums of all-time, so you're missing out if the only song you know from it is "Changes." "Quicksand" is probably the only profoundly philosophical (and even borderline Satanic) song with a singalong chorus. Melodic Beatle-esque "Life on Mars" is as important to the Bowie persona as "Space Oddity." The weird folk of "The Bewlay Brothers," like "All the Madmen" before it, is an emotional ode to his schizophrenic half-brother Terry.
Although this era was only Bowie's initial breaking out, it is what impacted me the most. I love many of his other albums – the bleak, foreboding rock of Diamond Dogs, complex soul rock masterpiece Station to Station, powerful guitar driven Scary Monsters, unheralded '90s release …hours (only because it came out at the height of my Bowie obsession), and his last several albums. But in a significant way nothing impacts a person more than the music they discovered when they were in their early teens, when life is crazy and everything carries extra meaning. This is when I discovered Bowie, and his music never lost that initial magic.
As hard as it is for me to internalize it, I know that David Bowie is dead. But in significant ways he'll never die. As cliché as it is, his music, his soul, and his spirit will live on forever. Although true, it seems like such a small condolence for not having him in the world anymore. It is up to those who loved him to carry his spirit and legacy forward, not only by appreciating and loving what he created, but also by creating meaningful music and art in the same innovative spirit. I am thankful and grateful for the place he has in my life.
Erik Ritland is a writer and musician from St. Paul, Minnesota. His blog and podcast Rambling On features commentary on music, sports, culture, and more. He was also Lead Staff Writer for Minnesota culture blog Curious North. Support Erik's music via his Patreon account, reach him via email, or find him on Facebook and Twitter.